Its both simple and profound on a conceptual level. This loving kindness meditation script will help you share your love and positive energy with all beings around you. You can pick one spot to stick with for this meditation practice. After extensive and intensive practice in vipassanamindfulnessinsight meditation in australia and myanmar, his teacher venerable chanmyay sayadaw. If this is uncomfortable you can do this meditation lying down. Hinton c a boston university, ma, united states b university of basel hospital, germany c harvard medical school, ma, united states article info abstract article history.
Lovingkindness, or metta, as it in called in the pali language, is unconditional, inclusive love, a. Keep your eyes closed throughout the whole visualization and bring your awareness inward. Guided meditations ucla mindful awareness research. This kindness meditation for kids is based on the book. Loving kindness meditation script body position close your eyes. Youre invited to alter these phrases and choose whatever words express your wishes of loving kindness toward yourself and others. Meditation has a wide range of types such as loving kindness meditation taught by spiritual leaders or experts versed in the buddhist tradition, focused on silent. Loving kindness meditation lkm is a popular selfcare technique that can be used to boost wellbeing and reduce stress. For a more indepth class experience, see our 6week online classes. It is one of the most important buddhist meditations for beginners the technical, buddhist name for this meditation technique is metta bhavana, metta meaning compassion and bhavana meaning cultivating. We spend our lives searching for something we dont think we have, something that makes us happy. Lovingkindness meditation sometimes called metta meditation is a great way to cultivate our propensity for kindness.
Ill be offering as guidance the phrases that ive chosen to use in my own practice. Think about a person or another living being that makes you smile naturally. Lovingkindness meditation is a way to practice feeling unconditional compassion for ourselves and all beings. So, beginning now to wish yourself well by extending words of loving kindness to yourself. This is the text of a guided meditation that we frequently use in our meditation classes. There is also a lot of joy when one is unselfishly caring for a friend. A guide to daily happiness for kids by carol mccloud. Loving kindness meditation audio download excel at life. Mindfulness meditation activates altruism scientific reports. T he need t o c onnec t w it h ot hers is a p ow erf u l hu m an drive. Lovingkindness is a natural opening of a compassionate heartto ourselves and to others. Those who regularly practice loving kindness meditation are able to increase their capacity for forgiveness, connection to others, selfacceptance, and more.
These peaceful guided relaxation scripts are written by. Unfortunately, the practice of lovingkind ness is often presented in a way that bypasses dealing with our fears and selfjudgments. Free audio recording of this meditation and others are available on the palouse mindfulness website. Lovingkindness meditation consists primarily of connecting to the intention of wishing ourselves or others happiness. Without straining or concentrating, just relax and gently. Metta, or lovingkindness meditation is an expression of what you wish most deeply for yourself, not just for today, but in an enduring way. How to do buddhist loving kindness meditation properly imagine if you had the power to make the world a place full of love, kindness, and compassion. Loving kindness meditation script, howto, benefits 2020. We are very lucky because the supreme buddha, our great teacher, has taught. In early practices, lovingkindness meditation was a way of selfhealing, sweetening, and pacifying the mind, and it produced positive feelings towards everything around us salzberg, 1997.
If youve ever encountered a book, article, or mindfulness talk related to buddhism, you may have already been exposed to the idea of lovingkindness. It does this by reprogramming your subconscious in a way that is much more effective than simply reading, hearing, or reciting the affirmations. Metta lovingkindness meditation, script and teachings. Sit quietly and direct kindness and love to yourself, then expand. Loving kindness affirmation worksheet mindfulness exercises. Recorded by ucla marcs director of mindfulness education, diana winston.
The meditation technique begins with developing selflove and then extending outward to develop openness and compassion for everyone. This lovingkindness meditation is a radical act of love. When you take a deep breath, the hand on the abdomen should rise higher than the one on the chest. Sharon salzberg, cofounder of the insight meditation society, offers a guided lovingkindness meditation sending lovingkindess to people we feel neutral towards as well as those we have difficult feelings towards the path to lovingkindness. In her book on lovingkindness, sharon salzberg writes.
When we talk about lovingkindness affirmation, were referring not to the kinds of love mentioned above, but rather to a love without. Pdf surveys were conducted at two metta meditation retreats in order to examine the psychological effects of metta meditation. Free guided loving kindness meditation script pdf file. When you truly stand in lovingkindness and look out upon the world, what you see is all that is. It involves mentally sending goodwill, kindness, and warmth towards others by silently repeating a series of mantras.
Unlike mindfulnessbased meditation, metta meditation or lovingkindness meditation explicitly aims to promote positive emotional states and a positive attitude towards oneself and others 29. The subject here is of course lovingkindness metta. We started this loving kindness group to synchronize all of our goodwill, love and vision for a healthier world. Sharon salzberg overview send good wishes, warmth, and kindness to others by silently repeating key phrases. As you feel the body breathing, try to stay with the breath all the way through. Metta bhavana cultivation of lovingkindness the good symbol for metta lovingkindness is the mother cradling her baby to sleep. In her book on loving kindness, sharon salzberg writes. Loving kindness meditation infographic american heart. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. It can be a child, grandma or even your dog or cat, a creature that brings happiness. Feel free to download the following meditations for your personal use. Lovingkindness writing meditation this writing meditation will help you transform your relationships by enabling you to be more kind and loving without any conscious effort.
Lovingkindness metta prayer a free recording and transcript of a lovingkindness prayer is available at. The meditations are primarily instructional in nature and briefer than most meditation sessions. This insures that the diaphragm is expanding, pulling air into the bases of the lungs. Loving kindness meditation zen center of san diego. The most optimal way to prepare for a guided loving kindness meditation is to adjust this session to the time you have available. Lovingkindness meditation 2,500 years old begin with taking 5 abdominal breaths. It does this by reprogramming your subconscious in a way that is much more effective than simply reading, hearing, or.
Lovingkindness meditation american heart association. I can still remember that it was a good feeling when i was cradled to sleep by my mother. A promising practice for reducing stress and increasing empathy paper based on a program presented at the 20 american counseling association conference, march 22, cincinnati, oh. Lovingkindness is a type of meditation practiced by buddhists throughout the world, but it is a word that appears in many religious texts, including the bible, jewish liturgy and the book of common prayer.
Begin lovingkindness meditation by resting your body in a comfortable position, sitting on a cushion or on a chair. Lovingkindness meditation instructions script phase 1. Lovingkindness meditation practice greater good in action. In my guide to 31 different meditations i discuss why loving. Lovingkindness practices booklet collection with cartoons. Loving kindness meditation jack kornfield may i be filled with lovingkindness i am larger, better than i thought. As an aid to the meditation, you might hold an image of yourself in your minds eye. Byrne and i think, that the world and each of us individually could use a little boost of extra loving kindness right now. With each recitation of the phrases, we are expressing an intention, planting the seeds of loving wishes over and over in our heart.
For a more detailed look into the scientific benefits of lovingkindness meditation click here. How to do buddhist loving kindness meditation properly. However, if feelings of warmth, friendliness, or love arise in the body or mind, connect to them, allowing them to grow as you repeat the phrases. Practicing lovingkindness helps us to be less judgmental and less hateful and allows for more joy, selflessness, and of course lovingkindness. The buddhist loving kindness meditation script metta meditation script is a prayer or simply words that we use for developing kindness and compassion. Lovingkindness meditation is a practice tied in with selflove, empathy, understanding and kindness. Usually the practice of the four divine abidings brahma vihara are taken together. Metta bhavana lovingkindness meditation venerable dhammarakkhita venerable dhammarakkhita is an australian buddhist monk of the myanmar th eravada tradition. Metta bhavana, or lovingkindness meditation, is a method of developing compassion.
Pdf lovingkindness meditation download full pdf book. This practice, inspired by lovingkindness meditation which has been found to have a positive impact on adults empathy, compassion, and social connection, cultivates young students innate kindness by asking them to send friendly wishes to the world. Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor and your spine straight. Lovingkindness is a kind of meditation technique that will enhance your feelings of unconditional love towards other people. How a 31day lovingkindness meditation challenge transformed my relationships and reduced my anxiety. The book pairs images with poetry and meditation instructions. Nicely designed pdf s with writable fields to add your reflections, answers and journal entries. Relax with your child as you slowly and evenly read the following meditation. Sharon salzberg writes that by practicing kindness with others and yourself, over and over again, and this is who you become, this is what feels most natural. This daily loving kindness meditation allows us to meditate together live, yet privately from a safe. This meditation uses words, images, and feelings to evoke a lovingkindness and friendliness toward oneself and others.
S p ec if ic ally, researc h dem onst rat es t hat. Learn how to practice lovingkindness meditation by sharon. Youd do anything to live in such a world, wouldnt you. Loving kindness meditation is a way to practice feeling unconditional compassion for ourselves and all beings.
This meditation comes from the buddhist practice of loving kindness which is to focus positive thoughts towards others. Walt whitman this meditation uses words, images, and feelings to evoke a lovingkindness and friendliness toward oneself and others. Some studies suggest it can help boost your empathy and feelings of connection and reduce bias, anger, depression and anxiety. Lovingkindness is meant to be done in the easiest way possible so that the experience springs forth most gently, most. Jon kabatzinn leads us in a heartscape meditation for deep healing of ourselves and others. There are four main factors of lovingkindness meditation that accounts for its universal applicability. Lovingkindness is a perspective, a place from which we can relate to all of life. D id y ou know t hat y ou c an enhanc e y ou r f eelings of c onnec t ion w it h ot hers u sing m edit at ion. Curry csaszar, imre emeric, phd, is an assessment administrator and instructor at. Selfcompassion and mindfulness centre for mindfulness studies. Stick with it from the beginning of the inhale all. Lovingkindness worksheet spiritspring what is lovingkindness.